2018's Best "Linux VPS" Hosting Services

Linux is a flexible and favored operating system for VPS users (see the top Linux shared server plans instead). Its power and popularity in the hosting world led our experts to rate, rank, and review the best VPS providers based on their choice of operating system(s), Linux-supported applications, pricing, performance, and more. Without further ado, here are the best Linux-friendly VPS services:

LINUX VPSRATING

InMotion: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 4 minutes

PJ Fancher (HostingAdvice.com):
InMotion is a powerhouse VPS provider, and their Linux offerings only affirm that fact. These scalable solutions include a Linux operating system with fully managed OS patches and updates, plus root and SSH access via the command line. Experience page loads... Go to full review »

LINUX VPSRATING

Bluehost: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 5 minutes

Ryan Frankel (HostingAdvice.com):
Bluehost offers an excellent balance between performance and pricing with all of their hosting plans, including their Linux-friendly VPS options. Provision instantly, enjoy the intuitiveness of CentOS 6, and program in many Linux-supported languages…Go to full review »

LINUX VPSRATING

iPage: Our Expert's Review

Setup time: 6 minutes

PJ Fancher (HostingAdvice.com):
Fully managed support, pre-installed scripts, and the intuitiveness of Linux and cPanel are just some of the perks that come with iPage VPS hosting. These guys bundle an affordable Linux VPS deal that includes options to scale with demand and program in more... Go to full review »

Review Breakdown: Linux VPS Hosts

On a quest for Linux VPS hosting? After comparing the best Linux VPS plans, we recommend you choose a server and a hosting provider based on uptime rates, choice of operating system, allotted storage space, and the reputation of the host — which you can gauge based on our experts' ratings. See the following summary table to get a glimpse of the best Linux VPS reviews and our findings.

Looking for something other than linux vps hosting?

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Keys to Our Top Linux Hosting Reviews — How We Rate the Best VPS Plans for Linux

Looking for the TLDR on Linux VPS hosting? We hit the highlights of Linux-based server rentals below.

By: Alexandra Leslie, Tech Expert

Updated: May 13, 2018

Security, stability, the support of an extensive developer community — the list of Linux pros goes on and on for many hosting shoppers. The popular operating system has become such a pull factor for customers that most of the top hosts broadcast features like CentOS, operating system patches, and Linux-friendly software as mainstays of their packages.

As someone who just searched “best Linux VPS” or the like, you’re left with a laundry list of options and bullet points to root through. Here we walk you through our methodology for evaluating the esteemed Linux hosts above, so you can make an informed decision for your upcoming project.

Linux Server Rental Points of Comparison

Let’s hash out the gory details of Linux server hosting. We’ll unveil the features we look for, the hosts who deliver them best, and how the top offerings compare to those of competitors.

1. Hardware

A VPS host is only as good as their hardware is performant. We look into the RAM, the hard disk specs, and storage allowances in each of the VPS hosting plans we review. Ringleaders tout free SSDs that boost your server with added speed, and Liquid Web has RAID-protected SSDs available for free within their VPS hosting packages.

2. Software

If you’re searching “Linux VPS web hosting,” software is obviously important to you. The hosts we hold in highest regard in this niche offer business-class software to support their world-class hardware.

3. Security and Monitoring

Since reliability and performance are cornerstones of a quality VPS hosting experience, security and network monitoring features are crucial to Linux VPS shoppers. Customers expect round-the-clock server monitoring as a minimum.

4. Uptime Guarantee

We can’t drive this point home enough: Uptime, uptime, uptime! It matters! To break it down, a 99.9% uptime guarantee is an industry norm, but, frankly, isn’t up to snuff for most of our VPS or dedicated hosting shoppers. Hosts who guarantee five nines (99.999%) or better are significantly more worth your time and money.

Hosts like InMotion or Bluehost are good for an excellent-but-not-stupendous uptime rate of 99.99%, and — hold onto your socks — Liquid Web promises 100% uptime. As a company, they experienced 99.995% uptime in 2014.

5. Technical Support

Customer support can be the most frustrating factor of a hosting experience. It’s a feature that distinguishes the good hosts from the great across hosting niches.

Hosts who handle technical support best are known for their teams’ accessibility, their timeliness, and what can only be described as human-ness (as opposed to robotic-ness). Liquid Web surpasses mere mortal service with Heroic Support.™

6. Price vs. Features

Last, but most certainly not least, we have to look at the overall value of a Linux VPS hosting package. The quality and quantity of features offset by the pricing determines a host’s worth to a potential customer. Whether you want managed services, a WordPress plan, or just a virtual machine with CentOS installed, InMotion leads in high-value VPS hosting.

Features The Best Linux VPS Hosting Providers Share

As you have probably gathered from our reviews, the top Linux hosting providers have several key offerings in common. The features listed below are particularly noteworthy for VPS users:

Choice of Linux operating system

cPanel, root, and SSH access

OS security patches, updates, and monitoring

Instant provisioning and reliable scalability

Linux-friendly software (e.g., Apache, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby)

FTP accounts and MySQL databases

Of course, this list is not comprehensive. The leading web hosts for Linux fans tout these standard features and a host of others to streamline your Linux hosting experience.

Buyer beware: As with any service you find online, free Linux VPS hosting options are advertised, but you’ll be sadly disappointed by the limited RAM, lackluster, or nonexistent, support, and limited customization options. You’re much better off opting for a quality, low-cost VPS provider like InMotion for your affordable Linux hosting needs.

Hosting Linux VPS Sites Is Simple With the Top Web Hosts

Premier Linux hosting services abound with the top hosts listed above — and now you understand our reasoning for thinking so highly of them. With instant server provisioning and daily billing from the expert-recommended providers, you can have a fully functional Linux project up and running in virtually no time at all.

About The Author

Alexandra LeslieTech Expert

Alexandra Leslie’s interest in website administration was sparked in her teens, priming her for a fast-paced career in managing, building, and contributing to online brands, including HostingAdvice, Forbes, and the blogs of prominent hosting providers. She brings to the table firsthand experience in reviewing web hosts, perfecting website design, optimizing content, and walking site owners through the steps that add up to a successful online presence. Today, she combines her extensive writing experience with technical understanding to unpack some of the most complex topics that daunt novice website owners, as well as the subjects that excite veteran technologists within the HostingAdvice readership.

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